atha vibhäväù
tatra jïeyä vibhäväs tu raty äsvädana-hetavaù |
te dvidhälambanä eke tathaivoddépanäù pare ||
14 ||
tatra – here; jïeyäù – to be known vibhäväù – Stimuli; tu – but; rati – Affection, Rati’ äsvädana-hetavaù – the cause of tasting; te – that; dvidha – two types; alambanä – “Alambanä” (the support, fuel); eke – the first; tatha – in this; eva – certainly; uddépanäù – “Uddépana” (The ignition); pare – the next, beyond the first.
– 14 –
But know that Vibhäva (“Stimuli”) is the cause of tasting one’s affection for Krishna. In this, there are certainly two aspects. One is “Alambanä” (The Supporting Fuel) and the next is “Uddépana” (The Ignition).
Here ends the discussion of the five components of Rasa, and begins a detailed discussion of the first component: Stimuli (Vibhäva). To distinguish this from the preceding topics, Rupa Goswami uses the word “but.”
Rupa Goswami defines Vibhäva (“Stimuli”) as that which stimulates ones affection for Krishna and thus causes one to experience or “taste” it. He already gave an example of the music of the flute stimulating ones affection for Krishna, causing it to rise up into one’s awareness and be experienced or “tasted.”
There are two types of Stimuli (Vibhäva): (1) Uddépana –Things that stimulate an emotion, and (2) Alambanä – People whose emotions they stimulate. The word uddépana means that which brings to light, or lights a flame. Things that stimulate emotion are compared to sparks that ignite a flame of emotion. The people in whom emotions are stimulated are like the support (“alambanä”) of the flame, like the wick or fuel in which the flame of emotion burns.
tad-uktam-apuräëe
vibhävyate hi raty ädir yatra yena vibhävyate |
vibhävo näma sa dvedhälambanoddépanätmakaù || 15 ||
vibhävyate – that which causes the manifestation; hi – certainly; rati – affection, Rati; ädiù – beginning with, “etc.”; yatra – there; yena – in that; vibhävyate – the cause of manifestation; vibhävaù – Vibhäva (“Stimuli”); näma – named; sa – she; dvedha – has two aspects; alambana –the support, fuel; üddépana – the ignition; ätmakaù – in her nature;
– 15 –
Agïi-Puräëa: “That which causes the manifest experience of affection for Krishna is named “Vibhäva.” Her nature has two aspects: (1) Alambana (the support, fuel), and (2) Üddépana (the ignition).”
taträlambanä
kåñëaç ca kåñëa-bhaktäç ca budhair älambanä matäù |
raty-äder viñayatvena tathädhäratayäpi ca || 16 ||
kåñëaù – Krishna; ca – and; kåñëa-bhaktäù – the devotee of Krishna; ca – and; budhaiù – the wise; älambanä – the support, fuel; matäù – opinion; rati-ädeù – affection, etc.; viñayatvena – in the “object”; tatha – thereafter; adhäratayäpi – like a container; ca – and.
– 16 –
The wise consider both Krishna and Krishna’s Bhakta to be the Supporting Stimuli (Alambanä-Vibhäva). One is the object of affection and the other is the container of affection.
Having previously established that there are two types of Stimuli (Vibhäva), Rupa Goswami now focuses on the first type: Alambanä – the people in whom emotion is stimulated.
Alambanä (the people in whom emotion is stimulated) has two aspects: (1) Viñaya – the person who is the “object” or recipient of emotion, and (2) Äçraya – the person who is the “container” or giver of emotion. For example, in Bhakti Rasa, Krishna is the recipient of emotion and Krishna’s Bhakta is the giver of emotion.
tatra çré-kåñëaù
näyakänäà çiroratnaà kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam |
yatra nityatayä sarve viräjante mahä-gunäù |
so ‘nyarüpa-svarüpäbhyäm asminn älambano mataù || 17 ||
näyakänäm – of all heroes; çiroratnam – the crown-jewel; kåñëaù – Krishna; tu – but; bhagavän svayam – God Himself, in His original nature; yatra – in whom; nityatayä – eternally; sarve – all; viräjante – brilliantly shine; mahä-gunäù – great qualities; saù – he; anyarüpa – a different form; svarüpäbhyäm – in his own form(s); asmin – these; älambanaù – the supporting stimuli (Alambana); mataù – in my opinion.
– 17 –
But the crown jewel of all heroes is Krishna, who is God Himself, and in whom all great qualities brilliantly and eternally shine. He may be in a different form, or in his own form(s) – these, in my opinion, are the aspects of this type of Supporting Stimuli.
“This type of Supporting Stimuli” refers to viçaya-alambanä vibhäva: The person who is the recipient of the stimulated emotion. In drama, such a person is called the “Hero” (“näyaka”). The best of all Heroes is Krishna because he is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himeself, and thus has all good qualities to the fullest extent.
Krishna as the person who receives the stimulated emotion (viçaya-alambanä vibhäva) may be in either his own form or in a different form.
tatränyarüpeëa yathä
This section will describe Krishna appearing in another form as the recipient of stimulated emotion (viñaya-alambanä).
hanta me katham-udeti sa-vatse vatsapälapaöale |
ity aniçivata-matir baladevo vismayasti-mita-mürtir iväsot || 18 ||
hanta me – “Oh My!”; katham-udeti – what is arising?; sa-vatse – for these cows; vatsapäla-paöale – for the multitude of Cowherders; ity – thus (marking a quotation); aniçivata – uninterrupted; matiù – in my mind; baladevaù – Baladeva; vismayasti – wonder, astonishment; mita – firmly set, frozen at the knees, stunned; mürtiù – form; iväsot – his.
– 18 –
“Oh my! What feelings are arising in my mind for these cows and Cowherders?” Thinking thus again and again, Baladeva’s form became stunned with wonder.
When Brahma temporarily kidnapped all the cows and cowherd boys of Vrindaban, Krishna expanded to appear as each and every one of the cows and boys. Thus, each and everyone of them, during that time, were Krishna himself in another form. Even though Krishna was not in his own form, everyone in Vrindaban was experiencing love for these cows and boys exactly as if they were loving Krishna directly. In this çloka, Baladeva, not yet knowing that Krishna has become all the cows and boys, wonders why this is so, and thus becomes stunned from ecstacy.
atha svarüpaà
avåtaà prakaöaà ceti svarüpaà kathitaà dvidhä || 19 ||
avåtam – covered, hidden, disguised; prakaöam – manifest clearly; ca – and; iti – thus; svarüpam – his own form; kathitam – is said; dvidhä – two aspects.
– 19 –
Krishna’s own form is said to have two aspects: (1) disguised, or (2) clearly manifest.
anya-veñädinäcchannaà svarüpaà proktamävåtam || 20 ||
anya-veña-adina – being in other clothes, etc; äcchannam – hidden, disguised; svarüpam – own form; proktam – is said; avåtam – covered, hidden disguised.
– 20 –
Being “In His Own Form, but Disguised” means that his true identity is hidden by things like other clothes.
tena yathä
mäà snehayati kim-ucchai-mahileyaà dvärakä ‘varodhe
‘tra |
äà viditaà kutukärtho vanitäveño hariç ca rati || 21 ||
mäm – my; sneha – love; yati – as much as; kim – what? ucchai – increasing; mahileyam dvärakä – for this Queen of Dvärakä; avarodhe – covering, wrapping; atra – in this; äm – aha! viditam –I understand; kutuka-arthaù – desiring some objective; vanita – a beloved wife, mistress, woman; äveñaù – the clothing; hariù – Hari; ca – and; rati – attraction to.
– 21 –
For Example [Uddhava said]: “Why is my love increasing so much for this person dressed like a queen of Dvärakä? Aha, I understand! I am attracted to Hari who has dressed in the clothing of a woman for the sake obtaining some objective!”
prakaöa-svarüpeëa yathä
ayaà kambü-grévaù kamala-kamanéyäkñi-paöimä
tamäla-çyämäìga-dyuti-rati-taraà
chatrita-çiräù |
dara-çrévatsäìkaù sphurad-aridarädy aìkita-karaù
karoty ucchair modaà mama
madhura-murtir madhu-ripüù || 22 ||
ayam – this; kambü – conch; grévaù – neck; kamala – lotus; kamanéya – charming; akñi – eyes; paöimä – glancing at, moving towards; tamäla – the black Tamäl tree; çyämä-aìga – black limbs; dyuti – lustrous; rati-taram – very brilliant; chatrita – like an umbrella, canopy; çiräù – head, hair; dara – chest; çrévatsa-aìkaù – marked with the streak of golden hair called “Çrévatsa”; sphurad-aridarädy aìkita – the signs or symbols like the spinning discus, conch, etc; karaù – in hand; karoti – causing; ucchaiù – an uprising; modam – joy; mama – my; madhura-murtiù – sweet form; madhu-ripüù – of the enemy of the Madhu demon.
– 22 –
“With a neck like a conch, charming lotus-like eyes that glance about, dark limbs black like a Tamäl tree, a lustrous canopy of very brilliant hair, a chest marked with the golden sign of Goddess Çré, and hands that hold symbols like the spinning disc – this sweet form of the enemy of Madhu is causing an uprising of my joy.”
atha tad-guëaù
ayaà netä suramyäìgaù sarva-sal-lakñaëänvitaù |
ruciras-tejasä-yukto baléyän vayasänvitaù || 23 ||
vividhädbhüta-bhäñävit satya-väkyaù priyaà-vadaù |
vävadukaù supäëòityo buddhimän pratibhänvitaù || 24 ||
vidagdhaç caturo dakñaù kåta-jïaù sudåòha-vrataù |
deça-käla-supätra-jïaù çästra-cakñuù çucir vaçé || 25 ||
sthiro däntaù kñamäçilo gambhiro dhåtimän samaù |
vadänyo dharmikaù çüraù karuëo mänyamän-kåta || 26 ||
dakñiëo vinayo hrémän çaraëägata-pälakaù |
sukhé bhakta-suhåt prema-vaçyaù sarva-çubhaìkaraù || 27 ||
pratäpé kértimän rakta-lokaù sadhu-samäçrayaù |
närégaëa-manohäré sarvärädhyaù samåddhimän || 28 ||
varéyan-éçvaraç ceti guëäs tasyänukértitaù |
samudrä iva païcäçad durvigähä hare-ramé || 29 ||
ayam – in this; netä – the leading (qualities); suramyäìgaù – very beautiful bodily limbs; sarva-sad-lakñaëa-anvitaù – marked with all auspicious signs; ruciraù – pleasing, lustrous, attractive; tejasä-yuktaù – powerful; baléyän – physically strong; vayasänvitaù – youthful.
vividha-adbhüta-bhäñä-vit – learned in many amazing languages; satya-väkyaù – truthful speaker; priyaà-vadaù – pleasant speaker; vävadukaù – eloquent; supäëòityaù – great scholar; buddhimän – Intelligent; pratibhänvitaù – of quick wit, always able to respond in conversation and friendly debate.
vidagdhaù – skilled artist; caturaù – able to accomplish many things at once; dakñaù – expert; kåta-jïaù – grateful, aware of what is done for him; sudåòha-vrataù – one of firm vow, who always keeps his promise; deça-käla-supätra-jïaù – one who understands the right time, place, and circumstance; çästra-cakñuù –one who sees through the eyes of scripture; çuciù – pure, purifying; vaçé – in control of himself.
sthiraù – perseverant; däntaù – patient; kñama-açilaù – forgiving of misbehavior; gambhiraù – deep; dhåtimän – content; samaù – equipoised; vadänyaù – charitable; dharmikaù – religious; çüraù – heroic; karuëaù – compassionate; mänyamän-kåta – respectful.
dakñiëaù – refined; vinayaù – humble; hrémän – bashful; çaraëägata-pälakaù – protective of those who have taken refuge in him; sukhé – happy; bhakta-suhåt – benefactor of his devotee; prema-vaçyaù – controlled by love (responsive to love); sarva-çubhaìkaraù – brings aspiciousness to all.
pratäpé – terrifying (to enemies); kértimän – famous; rakta-lokaù – loved by the world; sadhu-samäçrayaù – inclined towards the saintly; närégaëa-manohäré – enchanting to women; sarvärädhyaù – worshipped by all; samåddhimän – very wealthy.
varéyan – superior; éçvaraù – the master; ca – and; iti – thus; guëäù – qualities tasya – these; anukértitaù – famous; samudrä – the ocean; iva – like; païcäçad – fifty; durvigähä – fullness, depth; hare-ramé – found in Hari.
– 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 –
The leading qualities of Krishna’s manifest form are: His body is very beautiful, and it is marked with all the auspicious signs. He is attractive, powerful, strong, and youthful. He knows many amazing languages, and is a truthful yet pleasant and eloquent speaker. He is a great scholar, who is very intelligent, and of quick wit in conversation, able to answer any challenge. He is a skilled artist, who is able to accomplish many tasks at once, and is very expert. He is a grateful person who always keeps his promise. He knows the right time, place and circumstance for everything. He sees through the eyes of scripture, is pure, and has full control over himself. He is perseverant, patient, forgiving, deep, content, equipoised, charitable, religious, heroic, compassionate, and respectful. He is refined, yet humble, and bashful. He always protects those who have taken refuge in him. He is happy, beneficent to his devotee, and is controlled by love. He brings auspiciousness to everyone, yet is terrifying to his enemies. He is famous, well-loved by the world, inclined towards the saintly, enchanting to all women, worshipped by all, and is very wealthy. He is superior to all, and is always the master.
These fifty famous qualities are found in Hari to a degree that is oceanic.
The first group of Krishna’s qualities are:
jéveñvete vasanto ‘pi bindu-bindu-tayä kvacit |
paripürëa-tayä bhänti tatraiva puruñottame || 30 ||
jéveñu – in the individual souls; ete – these; vasantaù – possessor; api – even; bindu-bindu-tayä –drops of drops; kvacit – sometimes; paripürëa-tayä – completely full; bhänti – splendorously; tatra – there; eva – certainly; puruñottame – in the supreme person.
– 30 –
Individual souls can also sometimes possess drops of drops of these qualities that are splendorously and fully manifest in the supreme person.
The fifty qualities just listed can sometimes be slightly present in ordinary people. As will become clear ahead, liberated souls possess all these qualities, and to a greater degree, expansions of Godhead to a still further degree, and Krishna himself possesses them all to the fullest degree.
tathä hi padme parvatyai çiti-kaëöhe tad-guëäù |
kandarpa-koöi-lävaëyä ity ädyäù parikértitäù || 31 ||
eta eva guëäù präyo-dharmaya vanamälinaù |
påthivyä prathama-skandhe prathayäïcakrire skuöam || 32 ||
tathä – in this regard; hi – certainly; padme – in the Padma Puräëa; parvatyai – to Parvaté; çiti-kaëöhe – from the dark-necked (Çiva); tad-guëäù – the qualities of that manifest form of Krishna; kandarpa-koöi-lävaëyä – possessing beauty like thousands of cupids; ity – thus; ädyäù – beginning with; parikértitäù – well known, famous.
eta eva guëäù – all these qualities; präyo-dharmaya – the lord of religion, Yamaräja; vanamälinaù – of the one with the forest-flower garland; påthivyä – the Earth; prathama-skandhe – in the First Canto (of Bhägavat Puräëa); prathayäïcakrire – indicated in; skuöam – held up.
– 31, 32 –
In the Padma Puräëa the dark-necked Çiva tells Parvati about these well-known qualities of Krishna, such as, “having the beauty of a thousand cupids,” etc.
All these qualities are also indicated in a conversation between the lord of religion, Yamaräja, and the Earth herself in the First Canto of Çrémad Bhägavatam.
Here Rupa Goswami begins substantiating the validity of his list of Krishna’s initial qualities by referring to the Padma and Bhagavata Puranas.
yathä prathame
satyaà çaucaà dayä kñäntis tyägaù santoña ärjavam |
çamo damas tapaù sämyaà titikñoparatiù çrutam || 33 ||
jïänaà viraktir aiçavryaà çauryaà tejo balaà småtiù |
svätantryaà kauçalaà käntir dhairyaà märdavam eva ca || 34 ||
prägalbhyaà praçrayaù çélaà saha ojo balaà bhagaù |
gämbhéryaà sthairyam ästikyaà kértir mäno ‘nahaàkåtiù || 35 ||
ete cänye ca bhagavan nityä yatra mahä-guëäù |
prärthyä mahattvam icchadbhir na viyanti sma karhicit || 36 ||
satyam – truthfulness; çaucam – purity; dayä – compassion; kñäntiù – forbearance; tyägaù – renunciation; santoñaù – satisfaction; ärjavam – simplicity; çamaù – tranquility; damaù – sense control; tapaù – austerity; sämyam – equipoise; titikñä – tolerance; uparatiù – indifference; çrutam – learned.
jïänam – knowledge; viraktiù – detachment; aiçavryam – leadership; çauryam – heroism; tejaù – power; balam – strength; småtiù – of sound memory (of scripture); svätantryam – independence, self-reliance; kauçalam – dexterity, expertise; käntiù – beauty; dhairyam – placid, steady, undisturbed; märdavam – kindness; eva – certainly; ca – and.
prägalbhyam – ingenuity; praçrayaù – refinement; çélam – well-mannered; saha – determined; ojaù – energetic, vatality; balam – force; bhagaù – enjoyable; gämbhéryam – deep; sthairyam – steady; ästikyam – faithful; kértiù – famous; mänaù – respectable; anahaàkåtiù – prideless, humility.
ete – these; ca – and; anye – others; ca – and; bhagavan – God; nityä – everlastingly; yatra – where; mahä-guëäù – great qualities; prärthyäù – desirable; mahattvam – greatness; icchadbhiù – those who desire; na – not; viyanti – deterioration; sma – ever; karhicit – at any time.
– 33, 34, 35, 36 –
First Canto [1.16.26-29]: “Truthfulness, purity, compassion, forbearance, renunciation, satisfaction, simplicity, tranquility, sense control, austerity, equipoise, tolerance, indifference, learning, knowledge, detachment, leadership, heroism, power, strength, memory of scripture, independence, expertise, beauty, placidity, kindness, ingenuity, refinement, good manners, determination, vitality, force, enjoyment, depth of character, steadiness, faithfulness, fame, respect, and humility… All these and many other widely desired great qualities everlastingly and inseparably belong to God.”